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Baked cream cheese spaghetti with beef marinara and a lightly golden cheese topping.

Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti

Baked spaghetti layered with seasoned cream cheese, beef marinara, mozzarella and Parmesan. Cook the pasta slightly short of its package time, build the layers, and bake until the center is hot and the cheese is melted.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Resting 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

Spaghetti and meat sauce

  • 16 oz dry spaghetti
  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 24 oz high-quality marinara sauce
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Cream cheese layer

  • 8 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Cheese topping

  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese freshly grated
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • Fresh parsley optional, chopped, for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Cook the spaghetti in salted boiling water for about 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain well and toss with the olive oil. You can prepare the meat sauce while the pasta cooks.
    Cooked spaghetti drained and lightly tossed with olive oil.
  • Cook the ground beef and finely diced onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking the beef into small crumbles, until browned and cooked through. Drain excess grease.
    Browned ground beef and diced onion in the skillet before adding marinara.
  • Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the marinara sauce and simmer for 5 minutes.
    Ground beef, onion and garlic simmered with marinara sauce.
  • Beat the softened cream cheese with the Italian seasoning and garlic powder until smooth and spreadable.
    Softened cream cheese mixed with Italian seasoning and garlic powder.
  • Spread the cooked spaghetti evenly across the prepared baking dish. Add small spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture across the surface, then gently spread them into a thin, even layer over the noodles. Small gaps are fine; avoid pressing down hard.
    A thin seasoned cream cheese layer spread over the cooked spaghetti.
  • Spread the meat sauce evenly over the cream cheese layer, taking it close to the edges of the dish.
    Beef marinara spread over the spaghetti and cream cheese layer.
  • Sprinkle the mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over the meat sauce.
    Unbaked spaghetti casserole topped with shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan.
  • Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, until the casserole is hot through, the sauce bubbles near the edges, and the cheese is melted and lightly golden. Allow more time if needed. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Fresh parsley is an optional garnish.
    The spaghetti casserole after baking, with melted cheese and lightly golden edges.

Notes

Yield is approximately 8 servings and depends on portion size. Prep and cooking times are estimates, with the pasta and meat sauce prepared at the same time. The cooking field includes the stovetop work and the 25- to 30-minute bake; total time also includes a 5-minute rest. Use a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Soften the cream cheese before mixing and spread it in small dollops over the spaghetti. Cook the noodles about 2 minutes less than their package directions, drain excess grease from the beef, and keep the meat sauce evenly distributed. Parsley is optional and may be omitted.